Spaghetti Squash with Veggies and Cheese

Do you love spaghetti squash but run out of inventive ways to cook it for dinner? I ran across this simple recipe today on allrecipes.com and was shocked at how amazing it turned out. I made a few tweaks of my own. The original recipe did not include the sausage, zucchini or green pepper but I think either way it would be delicious.

1 spaghetti squash halved lengthwise and seeded
2 Tb. EVOO
1 yellow onion chopped
1 green pepper chopped
1 zucchini sliced in half moons
1 can diced tomatoes (italian style) drained
1 small can sliced black olives
1 Lb. spicy italian sausage
1 clove minced garlic
2 Tb. fresh chopped basil
4oz cheese of your choice ie: italian mix, parmesan, feta etc.

1. Preheat oven to 350 and place squash cut side down on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for 30-40 min. or until skin pierces easily with a fork.
2. Meanwhile heat oil in a large skillet and sautee onions, green peppers, and sausage until sausage is nearly cooked through.
3. Add zucchini, and garlic and stir gently until sausage is cooked through and zucchini is soft and opaque.
4. Add tomatos, olives and basil and heat until warmed through.
5. Remove squash from oven and place aside until cool enough to handle.
6. Remove strands of squash and toss with skillet mixture and cheese (and butter if you're in the mood).

Basil Hummus

I found this recipe on one of my favorite food blogs Simply Recipes and I had to share it because it was so good & super easy!

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 2 cups sweet basil leaves, packed (yes, this is a ton of basil, but its worth it!)
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed then minced
• 2 15-ounce cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained*
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Up to 1/4 cup water
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons salt
• Several dashes Tabasco
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste

METHOD

1. Heat the pine nuts in a small skillet on medium high heat. Stir them when they start to brown. When most of them have lightly browned, remove them from the pan into a bowl to cool. (Reserve a few pine nuts for garnish.)
2. In the bowl of a food processor, place the basil leaves and the garlic. Pulse until finely chopped. Add the rinsed and drained garbanzo beans, most of the pine nuts, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, tomato paste, and a few dashes of Tabasco. Pulse several times, for several seconds each time, until the hummus is smooth. Add more Tabasco and salt or lemon juice to taste. Add water to the point of desired consistency.
3. To serve, place in a bowl and drizzle a little olive oil over it. Sprinkle with a few toasted pine nuts. Serve with pita wedges, crackers, or rustic bread.

Makes about 3 cups

Grilled Chicken & Arugula Salad

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, grilled & shredded

arugula

raw corn cut from 2 cobs

gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

cherry tomatoes, halved

Mix chicken, arugula, corn, tomatoes and cheese in large bowl

Mix 2 Tbs. olive oil & 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice and pour over salad; Enjoy!!

Opah's Grilled Chicken

4 large garlic cloves, chopped

juice of 2 limes

1/4 c. EVO

handful of minced fresh basil

1/2 tsp. coarse salt

freshly ground pepper

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3 in. strips (or use chicken tenders)

1. Combine all ingredients in ziplock bag, add chicken, seal and refrigerate for 4 hrs. or up to overnight

2. Heat grill to medium high, place chicken on grill and cook 6-10 min.

Serve on a bed of arugula drizzled with a little EVO (optional)

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

1 lb. spaghetti

1/3 c. olive oil

8 large cloves garlic, peeled and cut into thin slices

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 c. freshly minced parsley (I used dried parsley flakes)

1 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese

Kosher salt

Directions:

Bring water to boil, add 2 Tbs. salt and cook pasta according to directions on pkg. Reserve 1 1/2 c. water before draining pasta

Heat olive oil in large pot and cook garlic for 2 min. or until it turns golden on edges, stirring frequently; Add red pepper flakes, then reserve pasta water; Bring to a boil and then lower heat, add 1 tsp. salt and simmer for 5 min. until liquid is reduced by about a third

Add pasta to garlic sauce and toss; Off heat, add cheese and parsley and mix well; Allow pasta to rest 5 min. before serving ENJOY!!!!!

Lasagna Cupcakes…

These tasty lasagna cupcakes are a snap to make! Recipe makes 12:

Ingredients

1 cup marinara sauce or any spaghetti sauce you like

3/4 pound ground beef or turkey; browned

24 wonton wrappers (approx, 3 in. squares)

8 ounces shredded mozzarella

3 ounces Parmesan cheese

4 ounces Ricotta cheese

(optional) fresh basil for garnish; or add dried basil, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder or italian herbs when browning meat to jazz up flavor

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray.

Brown beef and season with salt and pepper or your preferance(s). Drain.

Cut wonton wrappers into circle shapes using a biscuit cutter or using the top of a drinking glass. You can cut several at a time.

Reserve 6 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and 6 tablespoon mozzarella for the top of you cupcakes. Start layering your lasagna cupcakes. Begin with a wonton wrapper and press it into the bottom of each muffin tin. Sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese, Ricotta cheese, and mozzarella cheese. Top with a little meat sauce and marinara sauce. Use around 1-2 teaspoons of all the ingredients depending on your personal preference.

Repeat layers ending with marinara sauce. Top with reserved Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. To remove use a knife to loosen the edges then pop each lasagna out.

Garnish with fresh basil and serve.

Cherrywood Planked Copper River Salmon with Whiskey-Maple-Butter Sauce

Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs Copper River Salmon
2 Cherrywood Planks

Instructions:

1. Soak your planks (totally covered in water) at least 3 hours (if new.)  If not new & re-using soak for at least an hour
2. Season salmon with salt and pepper to taste
3. Place planks on heated grill
4. Place seasoned salmon on planks
5. Cover grill with lid & roast/smoke/grill/ salmon until desired doneness

Sauce:
1/2 cup Whiskey
1/4 cup Maple Syrup (the real stuff - NOT Mrs. Buttersworth!)  :)
1/2 lb. butter cut into pieces

 Instructions:

1. Pour Whiskey and Maple Syrup into large saucepan
2. Simmer on medium-low heat until reduced to about 1/4 cup
3. Add butter and keep warm until salmon is ready
4. Pour sauce over salmon and reserve extra for individuals to add as desired

This sauce is also excellent on corn on the cob OR maybe even pancakes or waffles!  :)

Grilled Salmon with Lime Butter Sauce

Gourmet Magazine gets all the credit for this one. We tried this for the first time when we were visiting the McDougall's in Ft. Bragg and I've made it again since I got home. Its a simple way to prepare salmon and its really good especially alongside a spinach and strawberry salad for dinner. Try it out.

Grilled Salmon with Lime Butter Sauce

6 (6-oz) pieces center-cut salmon fillet (about 1 inch thick) with skin
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lime zest
6 tablespoons lime butter sauce (see recipe below)

Prepare grill for cooking over medium-hot charcoal (moderate heat for gas).

Season salmon all over with salt and pepper, then grill, flesh sides down, on lightly oiled grill rack (covered only if using gas grill) 4 minutes. Turn fillets over and grill (covered only if using gas grill) until just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes more. Sprinkle fillets with zest and top each with 1 tablespoon lime butter sauce.

If you aren't able to grill outdoors, salmon can be cooked in a hot lightly oiled well-seasoned large (2-burner) ridged grill pan over moderately high heat.

Lime Butter Sauce

1 large garlic clove, chopped
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted

Purée garlic with lime juice, salt, and pepper in a blender until smooth. With motor running, add melted butter and blend until emulsified, about 30 seconds.

Lime butter sauce can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Stir before using.

Garlic Confit Vinaigrette

I know the name makes it sound way to high-class, but it is such a good dressing and its something I stumbled upon thats a keeper for me now.

Confit (French, pronounced "con-fee") is a generic term for various kinds of food that have been immersed in a substance for both flavor and preservation. Sealed and stored in a cool place, confit can last for several months. Confit is one of the oldest ways to preserve food, and is a speciality of southwestern France.

In this case its garlic that have been slowly simmered in olive oil and then used as the base for a salad dressing. I would add this to almost any salad, its light, full of flavor, and because you're cooked the garlic, its not rough on the stomach. Plus you get this leftover garlic confit to put in other dishes and some amazing infused garlic oil. Like I said, its a keeper for sure.

Garlic Confit Vinaigrette
Makes 3/4 cup of vinaigrette. The extra garlic confit can be stored in the refrigerator submerged in the remaining oil for about a week.

(For the garlic confit)
the cloves from 2 heads of garlic, peeled and stem ends sliced off
3 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary
1 to 1/2 cups olive oil

(For the vinaigrette)
8 cloves (or so) garlic confit
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
Juice of half a lemon
1/2 cup garlic-infused olive oil

First make the garlic confit. In a very small saucepan, combine the peeled garlic cloves, thyme or rosemary and the olive oil. Make sure the olive oil completely covers the garlic cloves. Cook the mixture over as low a heat as possible for 25 to 35 minutes, until the garlic cloves are golden brown and very tender. Allow the garlic and oil to return to room temperature.

To make the vinaigrette, take 8 or so of the garlic cloves and place in a small bowl or in a food processor (my preferred method). Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and using a spoon (or pulse the food processor), mash the garlic until it is very smooth. Add the lemon juice and vinegar and whisk to combine. In a slow, steady stream, add 1/2 cup of the oil that the garlic cooked in, whisking to emulsify. Grind in a bit of fresh cracked black pepper and taste to see if the seasonings need adjusting.

Homemade Vegetable Broccoli Soup!

Sorry no picture, but if you can imagine green creamy soup, that's what this looks like :)
I actually found this recipe online from a website called homemademothering. It is easy, yummy and great for those picky eaters when it comes to vegetables.

2 TBSP butter
1 Onion - diced
4-5 garlic cloves
1 1/2 C carrotts - diced
4 Medium Potatoes (I like 5 or 6 to make it a little thicker)
8 C liquid (water or broth)
3 medium heads of broccoli - chopped
(The recipe doesn't call for Cauliflower but I think it would be a great addition or use it in place of some of the potatoes for less carbs)

In a large pot melt butter over medium heat.
Add onions and saute until soft, about 6 minutes.
Add potatoes and carrotts, cook 5 minutes.
Add garlic, cook until fragrant.
Pour in liquid and bring to a boil.
Cook until potatoes begin to soften, about 10-15 minutes.
Stir in chopped broccoli flourets and stems and cool until just begining to soften.
Puree using a handheld immersion blender or in batches using a regular counter top blender.

(note: I don't have an immersion blender so I used my counter top blender, let the soup cool down a little first!! I might be stating the obviouse but when I did it I was in such a hurry to get to work that I didn't have time to let it cool and the lid blew off from the pressure making a big green mess in the kitchen. Just fyi)

Red Pepper, Corn, Tomato Soup

April 12th is National Grilled Cheese Day!

I decided to make a red pepper, corn, tomato soup to go with our grilled cheese on National Grilled Cheese Day! This recipe calls for fresh whole cherry tomatoes, whenever you get a bite with a cherry tomato in it there is a burst of sweetness! (That was my husbands favorite part.) The soup turned out really great, a little spicy but that's how I like my tomato soup.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 package of cherry tomatoes, keep whole
• 1 package of frozen corn, slightly thawed
• 2 red bell peppers, chopped
• 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 small jar of salsa, I use Trader Joe's classic salsa
• a few dashes of hot sauce to add some spice
• S&P
• 2 tbl. EVOO
• Feta cheese

Directions:

1. Pour EVOO in a medium-large size pot, turn heat on medium high. Put onions in the pot and saute for about 3-4 minutes stirring around. Add bell peppers and continue to saute for 3-4 minutes.
2. Add corn and tomatoes to the pot, saute until corn is warmed about another 3-4 minutes.
3. Add broth, salsa and as much hot sauce as desired. Salt and pepper the soup.
4. Bring to a boil and then turn heat down to low. Let simmer for about 30 minutes.
5. Blend about 1/3 of the soup in a blender, when returning the liquid to the pot pour through a colander with small holes to keep some of the tomato and bell pepper skins out. I wasn't super particular about this and my soup ended up a bit chunky but I was okay with that. Don't forget to let the soup cool a bit before you try to blend it.
6. Serve the soup with a bit of crumbled feta on top and a grilled cheese!

Tortellini SALAD

Tortellini Salad, a summer favorite in our house! This salad can be served warm or chilled. A great side dish for a summer BBQ's or potlucks! Can even be served as an entree with garlic bread.

Ingredients:

Serves 4

• one package of frozen or fresh tortellini (I prefer 3 cheese filling for this recipe)
• one container cherry/grape tomatoes
• 6 tbl. chopped fresh basil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1/4 c. EVOO
• 2 tbl. white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. sugar

Directions:

1. Cook tortellini according to directions on the package. Drain pasta and run cold water over it once it's done cooking to cool it down a bit. Place in desired serving bowl.
2. Slice tomatoes in half, add to the pasta.
3. Prepare dressing, crush garlic in a small bowl, add chopped basil, EVOO, white vinegar, salt and sugar. Whisk together and drizzle over pasta and tomatoes. Toss to combine then chill in refrigerator or serve right away.

Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Tomatillo Salsa

photo courtesy of Cooking Light

These shrimp tacos were a nice alternative to a regular fish taco, the fresh tomatillo salsa is a great addition too!

Ingredients:

Serves 4

Shrimp:

• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. group red pepper
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 garlic cloves, minced or crushed
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (you can also by the pre-cook frozen shrimp)
• 2 tsp. EVOO

Salsa:

• 1/2 lb. tomatillos, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tbsp. cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 avocado, peeled and pitted
• 1 serrano chile, seeded and chopped
• 6 inch corn tortillas

Directions:

1. To prepare shrimp, combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp; saute 4 minutes or until done if using raw shrimp.
2. To prepare salsa, place tomatillos and next 9 ingredients (through serrano chile) in a food processor (or blender); process until smooth.
3. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Divide shrimp evenly among tortillas (I made 2 tacos for the 4 people I was serving, total of 8). Top each with salsa; serve with corn, rice and/or beans on the side!

Caesar Salad with Homemade Croutons

I love a good Caesar salad in a restaurant but am often disappointed when I try and recreate the dish at home. Often times I'm disappointed because I fall back on a bottled Caesar dressing. This recipe offers an easy dressing that will knock your 'garlic' socks off! :-)

Ingredients:

Serves 4

• 2 garlic cloves
• S&P
• rustic French bread (crusts removed, cut into small crouton size pieces)
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons EVOO
• 2 heads Romain lettuce (outer leaves discarded, inner leaves cut into strips)
• cherry tomatoes sliced in half
• Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, crush 1 garlic clove and blend with some salt and 1 tablespoon of EVOO. Add bread cubes and toss to combine. Spread cubes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until crisp and golden, about 20 minutes, turning once.
2. Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, crush remaining garlic clove (I was tempted to add another garlic clove but was happy that I didn't; since the garlic is raw in the dressing it keeps its strength.) whisk in lemon juice, Worcestershire, mustard and pepper. Slowly whisk in the EVOO.
3. In a large serving bowl, toss lettuce and tomatoes with vinaigrette and croutons. Serve immediately , garnished with shaved Parmesan.

Pork Tenderloin with Pesto, Provolone, and Pancetta

2 pork tenderloins
pesto
6 slices of provolone cheese
10-12 slices pancetta


1. Slit tenderloins lengthwise, creating a generous size pocket
2. Smear a generous amount of pesto in pocket, and then place half-slices of cheese on top, & push down into pocket
3. Lay pancetta along the length of tenderloin and pull pocket closed, tying in several places with cotton twine to hold together
4. Place in baking dish and bake 25 min. @ 400 degrees; Check with meat thermometer before removing from oven

(I cooked 3 tenderloins in same dish and it too approx. 40 min.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

I made this soup while Ben and I had some visitors in town. It turned out great, however, I added way too much rice so I ended up having to add more broth making the pot of soup HUGE! So even though the amount of rice sounds small it will end up being plenty. Don't double the amount like I did!

Ingredients:

Serves 4 (generous amounts)

• EVOO
• 4 carrots chopped
• 4 celery stalks chopped
• 1 small onion chopped
• coarse S&P
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 zucchini chopped
• 2 cups frozen peas
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cooked)
• 2/3 cup wild-rice

Directions:

1. Ahead of time I put some EVOO and seasoned chicken in a skillet and cooked until no longer pink. Chop the chicken in small bit size chunks.
2. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium high heat. Add carrots, celery, and onion; season with S&P. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, 3-5 minutes.
3. Add broth, chicken, rice, and 2 cups water to pan. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cover. Cook for 10 minutes add zucchini and peas, cover and cook for another 10 minutes. (Or until rice is tender.) Season with S&P to taste, serve with bread and a salad.

Baked Soaked Oatmeal

Breakfast is seriously like my archnemisis. (Did I spell that right?) Anyway, I'm not a morning person, don't like feeling like a short-order cook, & at 36 weeks pregnant with baby #3, the thought of making something fancy for 2 kiddos for breakfast does not appeal. (It never really appeals though!) And... for those who know me, know that this year I've been taking baby steps towards a more "traditional" and whole food diet for our family. One of those baby steps has been researching soaked oatmeal recipes. I found this one and have adapted this recipe from http://thenourishedlife.blogspot.com/

While at Cannon Beach this past weekend I tried the recipe out on my family & everyone seemed to like it. (They were either lying or really did like it. HA!) :) So here it is! Super easy, and can be easily reheated for SUPER EASY breakfasts, and it won't make you feel like you're a short order cook! :)

Soak OVERNIGHT or all day:

• Cover 3 cups of steel cut oats (I like Bob's Red Mill) and 1 cup of walnuts with water

The next morning or in the later evening:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
• Drain off any excess water and set oats aside
• Beat 4 eggs and then combine with 1/2 cup maple syrup and 2 tablespoons coconut oil - set aside
• Add 1 cup toasted (whole) flaxseeds to oats, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, and a cup or 2 of dried cranberries, frozen blueberries... fruit of your choice. Stir until everything is well mixed into oats
• Add the egg, syrup, and coconut oil mixture to the oats - stir until well combined
• Add 2 cups milk to oat mixture and stir until until well combined
• Pour the oat mixture into a greased 9x13 pan.
• Bake for an hour or golden

Serve fresh and hot with fresh fruit, yogurt, syrup, and/or honey or reheat the next morning in individual bowls for an easy and quick breakfast!

BBQ Bone-In Pork Chops

I made these in my cast iron grill pan, but I'm sure you could make them in a regular skillet. This recipe is just the rub for the pork chops, it calls for quite a few spices. I didn't have all the spices but I found that Whole Foods Market has a bulk spice section where I could get just the amount of paprika, or dry mustard that I would need. This was a much more cost effective way to make this recipe!

Ingredients:

Serves 4

• 1 tablespoon of light brown sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 3/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. dry mustard
• 1/8 tsp. all spice
• 1/8 tsp. ground red pepper (or I used a few cracks of my black pepper)
• 4 bone-in center-cut pork chops (I used bone-in pork chops but if you don't want to purchase bone-in this rub would work just fine with boneless.)

Directions:

1. Combine the first 9 ingredients; rub over both sides of pork and let them sit (in the refrigerator) for about 30 minutes.
2. Heat your grill pan or skillet over MEDIUM-high heat. Coat pan with olive oil, add pork and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 8-10 minutes more or until done, turning occasionally. Remove from pan and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
3. Serve with potatoes and your favorite vegetable.

Roast Pork & Pears with Mustard/Honey Glaze

1 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. each of pepper & nutmeg
2 pork tenderloins, about 1 lb. each
1 Tbs. olive oil
3 ripe bosc pears, cut into wedges & sprinkled with 1 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 c. Dijon mustard
1/4 c. honey

1. Mix first 5 ingredients and rub all over pork; Mix pears with sugar & lemon juice; Pour oil into 9X13 pan, preheat in oven for 5 min. @ 375 degrees and then add pork & pears; Roast 25 min.
2. Stir together mustard, honey, & 1 tsp. additional paprika; Use 1/2 for basting and 1/2 for serving
3. After 25 min., baste roast & cook additional 5 min. or until cooked through but still juicy
4. Let stand for 5 min., then slice & serve with honey mustard mixture

5. substitute apples for pears or mix the fruit...Yum

Makes 6 servings

Tomato-Lime Tortilla Soup

We had this soup tonight for dinner & it was so souper delicious! Ha! :) I got the recipe from one of my most recent Food Network magazines. It was way easy and Lydia (my 4 year old) inhaled it, John raved about it, and I (the preggo momma) ate 2 bowls. Micah was the only one who decided to eat just chips - but really, who can blame him on that choice?!?! :) Anyway, here is the recipe:

2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 medium sized shallots or 4-5 garlic cloves finely diced
2 pints fresh cherry or grape tomatoes (optional)
8 cups chicken stock or broth
1 large can (28oz.) diced tomatoes
1 bag frozen corn kernels
4 limes juiced
1/4 cup diced fresh cilantro (or 2 tablespoons dried cilantro)
2 tsp. dried, ground cumin
2 chicken breasts, boiled & then shredded

Salt and pepper to taste

1) Saute diced shallots in olive oil until they soften
* Salt & pepper the shallots to make them sweat - a pinch of sugar works too
2) Add cherry tomatoes & saute until the skins begin to burst
3) Add 8 cups chicken stock or broth, canned tomatoes, corn, lime juice, cilantro, and cumin.
4) Bring soup to a boil, stir, and then simmer for 20 minutes to an hour
5) Add shredded chicken breasts

Serve & top with tortilla chips, shredded cheddar cheese, and salsa.

** Take out the chips and I believe this is gluten free! **